The penultimate episode of Gotham season 4 is here and I have always felt Gotham has always produced good second to last episodes in their seasons, this episode is their best yet! With definite references to The Killing Joke and a scene which was favourite of mine because of the sheer horror and how uncomfortable it made me feel. A long awaited sincere kiss between two characters, a Detective that redeems his trust from his colleagues at The GCPD and jaw dropping ending “One Bad Day” again delivered.

A reporter is at the scene of the explosion where Captain James Gordon is missing, she even speculated that he could be dead. Luicus Fox walks towards Detective Harvey Bullock to inform him that he just got of the telephone from search and rescue that whatever blew up Jeremiah’s bunker was catastrophic with no signs of life. Harvey demands them to keep looking for Jim as he is convinced Jim would of found his way out. Harvey turns the television off and tells The GCPD that any moment Captain Jim Gordon will come walking through the door, and will tell them all off for standing around and not doing their job properly. Harvey orders extra CSI to get out there looking for Jeremiah Valeska and Bruce Wayne. Detective Harper steps in as the officers at The GCPD refuse to help Harvey as the last time they followed Harvey when he was captain, Professor Pyg slaughtered them. Harper is 100% behind Harvey because Jim trusts him and she tells them to all get back to work.

Detective Alvarez confirms Jeremiah Valkeska wasn’t in his bunker when it exploded. How does he know this? Jeremiah is outside The GCPD and he isn’t alone. Harvey quickly makes his way outside, Jeremiah is stood waiting with Jeromes old supporters which have been given a make over. Jeremiah himself has also had a make over, his pale complexion is enchanted with red lips. A wide brim hat, deep purple in colour sits elegantly. Jeremiah has a serene creepy calmness to him as he tells Harvey that he accomplished something that his brother never could killing James Gordon. Jeremiah’s supporters instantly repeat Jeremiah’s name twice when the name James Gordon is mentioned. Harvey calls Jeremiah a liar, Jeremiah warns Harvey not to move to fast towards him as he removes a detonator switch out of his coat pocket. Jeremiah has placed more bombs around the city of Gotham, all Harvey needs to know that if Jeremiah presses the switch Gotham will be flattened. With Harvey threatening to shoot Jeremiah there is another familiar touch to the detonator it has a dead mans switch but a bit more advanced then Jeromes. Harvey can see that Jeremiah is more sick then his brother but Jeremiah doesn’t like being compared to his short sighted psychopath of a brother as he wanted to destroy things, whilst Jeremiah wants to build. Jeremiah wants to create a new Gotham, so every artist needs a blank canvas and everything needs to go. Jeremiah will detonate the explosives in six hours and he wants the city empty. Harvey repeats about emptying the city in six hours as that is impossible. Jeremiah removes another detonator from his other coat pocket and explains no one has to die apart from these people and presses the button, the clock tower explodes and crumbles to the ground.

Barbara reminisces about the clock tower with Tabitha, Jim took Barbara there once when they dated. Now they have both gone up in smoke, Tabitha calls it good riddance, Barabra always knew Jim wanted to die a hero. Oswald Cobblepot always knows how to make an entrance and joins in the conversation that was always Jim problem wanting to be the hero. The ladies of The League of Shadow are still with Barbara and protecting her, they draw their swords as Oswald approaches Barbara. Butch says hello to Tabitha shyly as Barbara makes a sarcastic comment about Butch being a walking corpse. Oswald informs Barabra and Tabitha that the person reponsible for the recent explosion is the twin brother of their old associate, Jeremiah. Oswald knows he has plans for Gotham  because they managed to get it out the leader of the Jeromes supporters by removing torture and removing his fingernails. Oswald believes this is a golden opportunity for a cash and glory, he would normally keep the cash for himself but Oswald is short on man power. He looks around the room and suggests woman power. Oswald is willing to spilt the money 50/50, but an alliance with Penguin, Barbara will pass on his offer. But with one last persuasive try Oswald announces with the money he is also going to find a cure for Butch. Tabitha is instantly interested, as Oswald explains that Hugo Strange made Indian hill, the toxic swamp made Butch into Grundy. Strange won’t come cheap and he is Butch’s only hope. Tabitha wants Barabra to return the favour after she nearly died fighting the corpse of Barbara’s ex boyfriend. Barbara agrees but Butch has to keep stench at least ten feet away from her at all times.

Harvey is explaining to The Mayor of Gotham that they need now to evacuate the people of Gotham in five and half hours. Harvey is getting frustrated with the Mayor because every minute he hesitates lives are at risk and Harvey is sure that the bombs will go off. Harvey orders Harper to help The Mayor when he sees Bruce Wayne walk into the GCPD. Bruce wants to know if it’s true about Jim being dead, Harvey tries to make it sound as though Jim might just walk in but Bruce doesn’t want to be lied too. Harvey admits its not looking good for Jim. With Bruce having already left Jeremiah’s bunker before Jim got there Bruce didn’t see Jim, Bruce continues to tell Harvey that Jeremiah was sprayed with laughing gas. Harvey talks about the explosive bombs around the city and Bruces admits its his fault as he funded Jeremiah’s energy project. Harvey for a moment raises his voice as he is shocked that Wayne Enterprises built the bombs, but does realise that it’s not all Bruces fault. Bruce has the plans for the batteries and he is sure Lucius could take a look at them and find a way of disconnecting them. Harvey wants Bruce to go home, which Bruce refuses. Harvey understands Bruce feels guilty but he knows Jim would want Bruce to be safe back at Wayne Manor with Alfred.

Bruces cellphone rings, the display screen reads Alfred, but it’s Jeremiah. He hopes Bruce didn’t catch a cold in his brothers grave. Bruce immediately wants to know where Alfred is. Jeremiah considers Bruces anger towards him a form of ungrattitude especially all the things Jeremiah has done for him. Bruce doesn’t see how using him to build bombs, trying to kill him and lieing to him as helping him. Jeremiah still wants to remind Bruce that if he wanted him dead he would be, but Jeremiah meant what he said Bruce is his best friend and on this day Jeremiah will prove it too Bruce. With calling Jeremiah insane, Jeremiah gives Bruce an address where to be in an hour to get Alfred back. But Jeremiah will know if Bruce tells the police just like he knew Bruce was at The GCPD. Bruce closes his cellphone and looks around the precinct to see if he notices anybody watching him.

Captain James Gordon is alive! He wakes from a groggy sleep not knowing where he is. Jim looks at the drip connected to him and hears footsteps coming down a corridor it’s Doctor Leslie Thompkins and she welcomes him back from the dead. Jim is at The Narrows, Lee explains that Ed had Jim followed and his people found him after the blast. Jim will thank Ed after he arrests him. Jim asks Lee what she plans to do with but she doesn’t really know yet, Jim is desperate to get back to The GCPD. Lee interrupts and tells Jim about Jeremiah blowing up The Clock Tower and how the city is being evacuated. Jim pulls out his drip which is a pain killer, Lee comments how easy he has been to handle with it and she tells Jim he isn’t going anywhere. Jim asks for his jacket, Lee takes out drawings he took from Jeremiah’s office. They could be a clue, Jim wants to take them to Harvey but Lee has other ideas as Jim isn’t the only one to save the city.

Bruce has called upon Selina to help him find Alfred at the address Jeremiah gave him. Selina definitely thinks Alfred would of put up a good fight to try and escape Jeremiah’s people. Bruce thanks Selina for coming to help him as he could not call on anyone else, Selina reminds Bruce she will always be there whenever he needs him. Selina confirms they are at the address, Bruce needs to get inside as he wants to see if Alfred is there, Selina climbs a drain pipe to the roof. Bruce opens a metal door goes inside and calls out for Alfred. A large screen switches on Alfred appears screaming with pain he is tied to a chair. Bruce watches in horror and these next scenes are pure horror as two people continually punch Alfred in the face.

Ed asks Lee if she has lost her mind because she wants to help Jim. Lee reminds Ed that he brought Jim to The Narrows because he thought Jim would give them leverage with the GCPD. The drawings that Lee got of Jim could be the key to Valkeska’s plan then they can trade the information for clemency. Ed questions prephaps there is more to Lee wanting to help Jim, Lee takes a moment and calmly explains that whatever happened between herself and Jim is over. Lee is trying to protect what they have built. Ed still likes his plans better, Lee tries again to explain that  if Jeremiah succeeds half the city will loose food, water supply and power. The people of The Narrows will suffer the most and at the same time it will get them out of the mess they are in. Ed agrees as if this is really what Lee wants he will do it only for Lee, but Lee wants him to do it for them.

Harvey wants an update on the evacuation. They have brought in helicopters and the national guard are emptying hospitals, nursing homes and schools, but some people just don’t want to leave. Lucius places the drawings of the energy generators in front of Harvey he doesn’t know where they are but he does know how to disable them. Harvey asks for answer in English not Lucius language, the bombs are connected by a nervous system the core relay is the brain and if they find that and destroy  it will stop the bombs from going off. They need to find the brain now.

Jeremiah walks with supporters into a partly demolished building. One of his soldiers gives him a television monitor to see what Bruce is doing. Jeremiah watches as Bruce is about to have a very transformative experience and Jeremiah is envious. As Jeremiah walks down the steps he orders the death of Alfred and sees Oswald waiting for him. Jeremiah also calls out Barbara Kean in his stronghold, Oswald warns him not to step any closer. Jongleur is stood with a explosive in his mouth and holding the core relay. Oswald holds the trigger wire in hand, Jeremiah removes his hat as he can see that Oswald has the upper hand. The demands Oswald makes to Jeremiah is that they want $50million, it’s a nice round number. Jeremiah doesn’t have that kind of money on him right now. Even Oswald knows that evacuating Gotham in six hours is impossible, he suggests to Jeremiah that giving the Mayor another hour to save more lives and $50million will seem cheap. Jeremiah can see now that he will be the villain where Penguin, Barabra, Tabitha and Butch will get away with it and rich. Jeremiah thinks for a moment decides Penguin drives a hard bargain but he will see what he can do. Barbara is suspicious as she knew Jeremiah’s brother she expected something more insane. Jeremiah makes it clear that he nothing more then sane and reasonable which his mother never valued and where Jeremiah will succeed, Jerome failed and course he’s more intelligent. As Jeremiah makes a call to The Mayors office, Tabitha asks Penguin if they are really going to head over the core rely back to Jeremiah so he can destroy Gotham? Penguin has a further plan, once they have the money they will kill Jeremiah and his men, give the core relay to the police, spilt the fifty million and be the heroes of Gotham. Tabitha makes sure they are still going to cure Butch which Oswald temporarily had forgotten about. The Mayors office has put Jeremiah on hold and there is always plan number two. Jeremiah picks up a bazooka, Barabra shouts for everyone to take cover. Jongleur explodes into thousands of pieces, Oswald shouts you are out of your mind and Jeremiah doesn’t understand why they keep insisting he is insane. Jeremiah has some information for them the building they are in is in the blast radius and because of their interference Jeremiah is going to detonate the bombs as soon as he is far away so he witness the destruction in peace. Barbara stands up for Gotham and thinks Jeremiah should honour the six hour evacuation, Jeremiah asks who fault was it that he changed his mind? As Jeremiah leaves he gives orders to his soliders to shoot Barabra, Oswald, Tabitha, Butch and the Ladies of The League of Shadows.

Bruce is still looking for Alfred. Jeremiah’s voice comes over the speakers and asks Bruce is he wondering why Jeremiah is doing this. His brother always used to say it only takes one bad day to make the sanest man turn into a looney. Alfred appears on the screens again he is shouting with pain. Jeremiah continues what Jerome gave him was his worst day and Jeremiah senses there is something special inside of Bruce as well. Bruce watches in horror as an electric densit drill is put against Alfreds temple. The images of Alfred disappear as new images of Scarecrow appear behind Bruce, Jeremiah has made something special for Alfred. Jeremiah tells Bruce to watch closely as the zombie clown in the box sprays laughing gas over Alfred. Bruce runs shouting in horror to find Alfred.

Ed welcomes sleepyhead Jim and reminds him that the city is about to be blown up and no time for naps. Jim knows he was drugged by Lee but Ed doesn’t really care. Ed wants to make one thing clear, if Gotham becomes a rock pile he minds zero percent as he is only helping Jim because he is with Lee now. Jim staggers over to the plans and has no interest as he thinks Ed has deluded himself thinking that himself and Lee are a couple. This is the point Ed needs to discuss with Jim, as Jim doesn’t think Lee could possibly love Ed. Ed gets an honest no from Jim because he thinks Ed is a psychopath and murder. Ed needs Jim to validate his crazy fantasy which to Jim means Ed doesn’t believe it either. What matters now is Ed helping Jim stop Jeremiah from killing thousands of people. Ed needs to settle it, whilst Jim is in The Narrows Ed makes the rules and he wants to talk about. Jim admits Lee has changed she isn’t the person he knew when they were together, Jim believes Lee isn’t who Ed thinks she is. The fact that Lee is with Ed in whatever way Lee is with Ed, which Ed informs Jim that Lee is with Ed in every possible way. For Jim this means Lee wants something from Ed and when she has it Lee will toss him aside. I can’t help but think that maybe Jim has planted this thought in Ed mind on purpose to make him question their relationship. Ed concludes that Jim thinks Lee would not be with a murder but she was with Jim and Ed considers Jim to be ten times he was. Jim agrees Ed has a point and maybe that’s why Lee isn’t with Jim anymore.

Ed and Jim get back to Jeremiahs plans, Ed promises Jim he will go slow so he can keep up. Most labyrinths are constructed as continual lines one way in one way out. But the labyrinth plans are differen. The red rectangles are unbounded on one side and they overlap on the black lines which would normally lead out of the labyrinth, they are not plans but the end result. Jim puts the plans down, Ed has made out of white card a plan of the buildings that Jeremiah plans to demolish. Once the buildings are gone they create a labyrinth from his first drawing which will make Jeremiah feel safe as he lived in one most of his life, Ed thinks this rather elegant. Jim needs to take this to the GCPD but Ed stops him as he wants to take The Mayor as himself and Lee have some legal knots they want untangled. Jim sees this as Ed holding the city hostage as time is running out. Jim asks Ed to explain one thing he can’t work out, Jim puts the plans up against the window Ed looks and falls for Jim’s trick and gets punched in the head by Jim.

With guns still being fired at Barbara and co, she complains about Penguins plan. Tabitha shoots the last person and decides they need to leave before Jeremiah blows them up. Butch grabs Oswald by the neck and blames him and warns him he better fix it.

Harvey answers the telephone at The GCPD, when he realises it’s Oswald he motions to Lucius to pick another telephone to listen in. Oswald has information for Harvey concerning Jeremiah’s plan. Harvey learns that Jeremiah isn’t honouring the six hours to evacuate the city and mentioned that he will retire the bombs to communicate with each other. Lucius knows what Oswald means and Harvey puts the telephone down on Oswald. There is a back up system for disarming the batteries they now need to find the first bomb in the sequence to disarm it. As Harvey needs to know where the first bomb is Jim walks back into the GCPD and gives him a huge hug. Jim has every location of the bombs.

Selina walks down some steps she can hear Bruce calling out Alfreds name. Selina comes across two men watching Bruce on a monitor, Scarecrow is standing behind her with his reaper. Scarecrow was told by Jeremiah that Bruce might bring some friends, Selina denies she knows Bruce and she just wondered straight into the building. Scarecrow is happy that his experiment is about to get more interesting but Selina decides to fight off the other two men.

Jim has the plans out in front of Harvey and Lucius, Jim understands their conclusion in finding the first bomb which is about a mile away. Jim wants to send the bomb squad but Harvey needs to do this himself.

Selina is putting up a great fight against Scarecrow, he stops fighting Selina and gives her information that Bruce will soon be driven mad. Bruce continues to look for Alfred and the way the scene is angled you can see the hallucinogenic gas being pumped into the room where Bruce is. Alfred is screaming, so is Bruce and shouting no as the images he sees are too much. Bruce runs into a room Alfred is sat in a chair and is laughing continually. Alfred takes a out a cut throat razor knife from inside his boot and in the one of the most horror intense scenes I have seen on Gotham, Alfred uses it to cut inside his mouth to give him that wide Joker smile. Bruce is begging him to stop with so much emotion, Alfred gets out of the chair and swipes the blade which cuts Bruces jumper. Bruce continues to tell Alfred to stop but he lunges himself at Bruce. Selina can see what is happening on the monitors and turns the tap on the wall to stop the gas from pumping into the room. Selina hears knocking from inside a cupboard, a person with a sack over their head stumbles out. Is this Alfred?

Alfred is trying to cut Bruce with the razor as he wants to see a smile, Bruce continues to try and make Alfred believe he can beat what Jeremiah has done to him. Alfred continues to laugh hysterically then out of nowhere he is shot in the head and falls over the ledge. Selina grabs Bruce to make him realise it was all the fear gas making Bruce see what is wanted him to see. The real Alfred  manages to grab Bruce as he goes to look over the ledge to see the body of a man he hasn’t seen before. Alfred tells Bruce several times that it’s him and Bruce is relieved when he realises it’s the real Alfred.

Harvey is on his way to the location of the first bomb, the bomb squad are busy with evacuation. Harvey goes inside a room and sees the bomb in the middle of a room, Lucius talks him through what he needs to do. Harvey needs to unscrew the antenna to deactivate the kill switch, the bomb starts to make a noise and glow red which means Harvey needs to work quickly.

Jeremiah arrives through an automatic door which looks like another underground bunker, his soilders chant his name. Jeremiah has the detonator in his hand and begins a tale to his followers. All his life he has been hidden away, Jeremiah is so glad to be sharing this happy moment with his soilders. For Jeremiah today marks a dawning of a new Gotham city, one where they all will be free. Jeremiah raises the detonator switch and asks if he should do the honours?

Harvey unscrew the antenna and opens up to reveal two breakers. Harvey asks Lucius which breaker does he disconnect? This isn’t on the plans Lucius doesn’t know which one will disconnect the circuit, but the wrong one will set all the bombs off.

The television in the background announces a message from Captain Jim Gordon. Jeremiah’s soilders are alarmed to see him alive. The message is actually for his followers as Jeremiah claimed he killed Jim, well the news for them is Jim is alive. Jeremiah thinks this is a trick. Jim continues to tell Jeremiah’s supporters that he is a pale imitation of Jerome, and they are worshipping a fraud. This next scenes switches  between Harvey deciding which breaker to detach and Jeremiah going to press the switch on the detonator to prove to his followers that they will hear the sounds of a new world being born. Harvey chooses the right breaker and Jeremiah’s switch doesn’t work. The soilders start shouting at Jeremiah to be a liar and he looses his cool and demands quiet. Jeremiah finds their fickleness very hurtful and more so very predictable. Jeremiah quickly leaves the room and closes the door on his followers and presses a button which sets them on fire.

Barbara is serving drinks at The Sirens to Tabitha and Butch whilst Penguin in the background is trying to justify the outcome of their failure. Barbara tells Ozzy to limp out The Sirens whilst he still can. Penguin accepts this and tells Butch to come with him, which Butch refuses as he has had enough. Since Butch reteamed with Oswald everything has gone wrong, also they don’t know where Hugo Strange is. Well Oswald does,  Butch puts his hands around Oswald throat and is unhappy that Penguin knew all along where Strange was. Oswald quickly changes his story and tells Butch that he just got word of where he is. Butch won’t accept no more exuses he wants Strange to fix him now. They have one problem which Oswald asks “how exactly do we pay him?” Tabitha has an idea she can be very persuasive.

Jeremiah’s repeatedly saying think to himself, he needs to know how the GCPD found the first bomb. Jeremia’s logical answer Jim must of taken the plans from his maze, so he decides to start again. A familiar voice in the darkness calls Jeremiah tenacious and he likes that. Jeremiah aims his gun and asks who is there. Ra’s al Ghul had a vision of the city in flames he wants to work with Jeremiah to make that happen. Because of recent events Jeremiah has decided the benefits of working alone, he shoots but Ra’s disappears. Ra’s is willing to help Jeremiah make his dream of a new Gotham reality. Jeremiah gives up shooting at Ra’s as he knows he is stood behind him. Jeremiah knows he can conquer Gotham on his own but why would Ra’s help be of use to him? Ra’s walks towards Jeremiah explaining that this isn’t just about Gotham but Bruce Wayne.

Lee is drinking alone when Jim arrives, she asks if he has come to arrest her. Jim is there to say thank you and with an offer to start a new life somewhere else alone. Lee asks Jim what if she doesn’t want to leave for a new life, Jim knows they can’t change the past in what they have done and too each other. Jim won’t pretend he doesn’t know the person that stands before him but whatever happens when Jim walks out that door he cares for Lee and always will. Jim walks away Lee doesn’t say a word, her eyes are emotional. Ed has been watching behind a gate, it’s not clear what he feels about Jim telling Lee that he cares but Lee didn’t betray Ed.

Harvey arrives back at the GCPD and tells Lucius not to let The Mayor lift the evacuation order until all the bombs are found. Harvey orders every police to keep looking for Jeremiah Valeska. The precinct is silent and Harvey asks “what” as all the officers are looking at him. Lucius announces they should give it for Harvey Bullock and gets the round of applause com everyone in the GCPD. Harvey deserves this and he is my character of the week.

Selina, Bruce and Alfred arrive back at Wayne Manor, Alfred is off to have a hot shower and then make a legendary fry up. Selina is invited to stay as she has no plans, Bruce thanks Selina again as he really doesn’t know what would of happened if she hasn’t been there. Selina and Bruce finally share a sincere kiss. Selina asks why Jeremiah is so obsessed by Bruce. Bruce repeats what he said to Bruce “all it takes is one bad day to drive a person insane.” Bruce wonders if his parents dying drove him insane, maybe he sensed that and wanted to bring it out in Bruce. Selina thinks Bruce has proved them wrong. Jeremiah’s voice startles Selina and she jumps up as Jeremiah puts his gun to her stomach “to be fair the day isn’t over yet.” Jeremiah shoots Selina who falls backwards on a table. In slow motion this jaw dropping scene finishes this episode of beautifully. Bruce holds Selina’s head to try and keep her awake, Alfred pushes Jeremiah to the ground and punches him repeatedly. Can Bruce and Alfred save Selina or will she have to use one of her nine lives?

The finale of Gotham season 4 airs on Thursday 17th May 2018, titled “No Man’s Lands.” Jeremiah warns a skeptical Gordon of more destruction coming Gotham’s way, and Gordon is forced to make a potentially devastating decision. Then, Bruce is forced to come to terms with the future.